Pipe-coupling



(No Model.)

G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr.

Pipe Coupling.

No. 236,388. Patented Jan. 4, 1 881.

Hearse STATES GEORGE \VESTINGHO'USE, JR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIPE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,388, dated January 4, 1881.

Application filed November 15, 1880.

To all whom it mayconcem:

Be it known that I, GEORGE WnsriNG- HOUSE, Jr., of Pittsburg, county ot'Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Pipe-0ouplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichlike letters indicating like parts- Figure 1 shows a pair of couplings united or coupled, the upper coupling, or rather halfcoupling, being represented by a vertical sectional view through the shell, and the lower half-couplin g being represented by a sectional view through the shell and also through the valve-box. Fig. 2 shows, in perspective, a half-coupling, but with a portion of the shell and packing-ring cut away. Fig. 3 is a detached view, in perspective, of acap-piece used with the valvebox. Fig. 4 is a like view of the valve-box and valve. Fig. 5 is a top view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows, to a reduced scale, a top or face view of one half-coupling and a section through the valve-studs of the other half, the section being carried back to the broken line a z, and in other respects the two half-couplings being shown as interlocked. Fig. 7 is a like view of the same devices in position for being rotated the one on the other for interlocking; and Fig. 8 is a view, in perspective, of my improved coupling-holder.

My present invention relates to certain improvements in pipe-couplings and the attachments thereof, and it is more particularly applicable in the class or variety of couplings in which the two half-couplings (preferably duplicates of each other) are coupled together by a rotary, or partially rotary, motion of one on the other; but the particular application of the invention which I now propose is in connection with the class of couplings represented in United States Patent No.157,957,granted to me December 22, 1874, and reissued June 18, 1878, by Reissue No. 8,291.

As is very well known, it is important that in an automatic air-brake mechanism operated by compressed air the rear end of the brakepipe or air-conduit on the last car should, when the train is in running condition, be closed and kept closed and itis also important that when (No model.)

a car is disconnected from a train and run onto a siding both ends of its airconduit pipe should be closed. For such purposes stopcocks worked by hand have heretofore most commonly been employed; and it is equally important that when a train pulls in two by the breaking of a car-couplin g, or when, from other cause, one or more cars become unintentionally detached, the brakes shall go on or be applied automatically on both parts or sections of the broken or divided train. Hence the'couplings heretofore employed in theVVestin ghouse automatic brake apparatus have usually been made without valves, as illustrated in the patent above referred to.

In my present invention I add valves to the coupling, and so construct them and the other cooperating devices that in both the ordinary and extraordinary use or operation of the couplings the same results or functions will be attained as are now attained by the use of the stop-cocks referred to and the valveless couplings, which functions and results are, first, securing an open or free passage-way for the air when the couplings ofadjacent cars are united; second, the closing of the ends of the air-conduit pipes when the couplings are disconnected by hand and, third, the non-closing thereof when the couplings are disconnected as a result of the accidental breaking in two of a train; and, furthermore, all these results are secured in my improvement by the manipulation or uniting and disuniting of the couplings themselves, and without any extra or additional care, work, or attention, such as is requiredin turning two cocks every time two couplings are connected or disconnected. But I am aware that all these functions are provided for it Patent No. 224,256, granted to me, as assignee of O. G. VVelch, February 3, 1880; but as the Welch device is constructed the brakeman must in coupling, when the pipes are charged with compressed air, force back both valves by hand-pressure before the couplings can be brought into position for an interlocking engagement, which, when high pressures are employed,is somewhatdiffioult, and which, furthermore, results in the escape of air to such extent or in such amount that unless it be done very quickly it is liable to set or apply the brakes; whereas in my present invention I make provision for the bringing of the half-couplings to a position for interlocking with each other before the valves are lifted from their seats, and at the same time so interlock the valves that the rotation of the half-couplings on each other shall throw the valves off their seats or open, and bring them to such position that in case the halfcouplings are forcibly pulled apart the valves will remain open; but if they are uncoupled properly by hand they will be rotated back to a seating position on the ports of the couplings at or before the separation of the couplings themselves, thus preventing any escape of air either in coupling or uncoupling.

The shells A of the half-couplings, with their thirnbles for connecting with a flexible hose, the curved interlocking hooks, stop-posts, Ste, are so well known in the art and so fully described as to construction and operation in Reissue Patent No. 8,291 that further description is unnecessary. I employ also like packing-rings a, and for like purposes;

Inside a properly-shaped cap, A, I arrange what I here call a valve-box, which performs several functions in its several parts. The end of it, 13, which rests on the back flange of the packing-ring a, is ring-shaped, hollow, and is pressed down so as to clamp the packing-ring in place by the cap A engaging a shoulder, b. This part of the valvebox has a series of holes, ports, or openings, 1), through which air-com munication is effected from one coupling to the next, or to the open air when the valves are open, and through which'air-pressure acts to hold the valves to their seats when they are seated. Inside each end ring, B, is a disk-valve, D, which, when seated, rests by its face-edge on the packingring a. This valve is secured to a stem, 61 d, of which the extreme part, (1, is of less diameter than the part d, whereby is formed a shoulder, 8. The part cl plays comparatively close, but free, in a hole bored through the top of the chamber formed by the ring B, and the valve-box above is formed with two segments of rings, B, and with a screw'shaped incline, 0, running from the base of one segment to a seat, 0, at a distance up the other segment equal to the length of motion desired in the valve. These inclines slope in the same direction, circularly considered, and they, as well as the seats 0, are directly opposite each other. A pin, (1 passes through the stem d at such point that when the valve is seated the projecting ends of the pin will be at the bases of the inclines c, and when the valves are fully open they will rest on the seats 0, their intermediate motion being on and along the inclines.

A cap-piece, D, goes over the stem (1 and fits neatly into the space between the segmental rings B. It is supported by two of its diagonally-opposite legs, 0 resting on the back edges of the seats 0. That part ot'it which then comes immediately above a seat, 0, is rounded out slightly, as at s, and so as to leave a slight projection or swell, s and these parts .9 s

have such relationship to the corresponding seats 0 as that the ends of the pin 61*, in passing up the inclines 0, will engage the parts 5 slightly lift the cap-piece D, and pass back into recesses formed between 0 and s. In other words, the normal distance between the point of s and the nearest part of c or c is such relative to the diameter of the pin 61 that the end of the latter cannot getonto or leave the seat 0" exceptby lifting slightly the cap-piece D; and in order to hold the cappiece D down with a moderate pressure, so that it shall keep its proper place without regard to the position of the coupling, as well as for a purpose presently to be explained, I arrange a light wire spring, g, back of the cap-piece D; and in order to cause the valve D always to go to its seat when not unseated by mechanical means, I add alike spring, g, which passes through the enlarged eye D Fig. 3, ot' the cap-piece, and bears on the shoulder s of the valve-stein. Inside the seating-face of each valve D, and in proper position to project through the portopening of its packingring a, I make one, two, or more projections or studs, 6 0,- but whatever the number they are so shaped and spaced that when the halfcouplings-are put together face to face, and in the angular position required for the engagement of the curved hooks, the stud or studs or other projectil'ig part or parts of one valve will interlock with a like device or like devices on the other, but without unseating the valves, and all in such manner that on the rotation of the two half-couplings to their full interlocked relative positions the valves will thereby be thrown back from their seats, so as to open the through passageway for the air, and also so that on the reversal of such rotary motion in uncoupling the valves will he brought back or left free to come back to their seats on the rings a, and will be seated on such rings before the half-couplings are entirely separated.

Hence no material amount or degree of airthe functions indicated in the manner substantially as set forth,) I still believe the construction shown in the drawings to be the best. In this construction each valve has three such studsone marked 0 and the other two 0. WVhen the valve is rotated back off its seat the stud 6 comes on the side of the port-opening most distant from the outer end of the coupling, as shown in Fig. 6; but when the valve is seated the positions of the studs are so represented in Fig. 7. The spaces between the studs are such that the stud e of one halfcoupling will fit neatly into the space between the studs 0 c of the other half-coupling, the studs 0 occupying the other spaces. The length of the studs is such that, when the valves D are thrown back as far as in practice they are intended to go when the couplings are united, they will still project far enough beyond the plane of junction of the packing-rings to enable them to engage each other, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and thedepth of the spaces between the studs is such that when the valves D are both seated the studs of each half-coupling may pass between the studs ot' the other half-coupling, so as to bring the packing-rings a aface to face without neoessarily unseating the valves.

Assuming, now, that the normal position of a valve on a car unattached to a train is as in Fig. 2, with the valve seated, in coupling up the hosepipes of two adjacent cars the brakeman manipulates the couplings as described in Reissue No. 8,291, the studs 6 e being brought into interlocking engagement on the bringing of the two halt couplings face to face. The partial rotation of the couplings then causes the ends of the pins (1 to slide up or climb the inclines c, engage each a swell, s slightly lift the cap-pieces D, and pass onto the seats 0, the swell s on each side then dropping back of the pin under the pressure of the spring g, as illustrated in the upper part of Fig. 1, and thedevices are then in the relative positions illustrated in said figure, both valves being unseated. The brake-pipes of the train being all thus coupled up, the train is in running order; but the half-coupling at the rear end of the last car remains with its valve seated. When a car is tobe disconnected the brakeman gives the halfconplin gs reverse rotary motion, so as to cause the reversal of the movements above described, as a result of which the valves D are on their seats as soon as, or preferably slightly before, the interlocking hooks lose their engagement with each other; but if a train accidentally pulls in two by the breaking of a car-coupling or otherwise the half-couplings at the place of separation are pulled apart, as described in Reissue No. 8,291; but the valves then remain nnseated, the ends of the pins (1 being locked onto their seats 0 each by its swell s and the spring g, employed to hold this swell down outside the pin end, is merely stiff enough to prevent any jerking or irregular motion experienced in pulling the half-couplings apart from throwing the pin ends (1 off their seats.

Hence in case of the accidental separation of the couplings the valves will remain unseated, the air will escape at the open ports, and the brakes will go on or be applied automatically on both sections of the disrupted train. After both come to a stand-still the valve on the rear coupling of the forward section may be seated by hand, (by the use ofany suitable tool, as presently to be described, or by a thin stick insertedbetwecn the studs 06 and turned like a wrench,) and then, after the pressure is pumped up and the brakes released on the forward section, it may be backed up and recoupled to the rear section; but if, in any contingency, it is required to couple up two halfsult of the rotary motion referred to, opposite the spaces between the studs on the other halfcoupling, and then the spring g would force the valves toward each other and cause the ends of the studs to engage or interlock.

It will be observed that when the half-couplings are united the studs 0 c are always interlocked, at least sufficiently to throw the pin ends d olf their seats 0 in the ordinary operation of uncoupling; but in such case the studs 6 6 should have but a short lap onto each other at theirengagingends, or, in other words, should project but slightly beyond the plane of junction of the packing-rings a, lest, when the half-couplings are pulled forcibly apart, the packing-ring of one half-coupling should catch on the end of a stud and be ruptured or abraded; and the better to guard against this latter danger or prevent it entirely, I round off the corners of the stud ends on the sides most distant from the outer ends of the couplings, as at 6 Fig. 2, so that the packing-rings of the other half-coupling may slide over such rounded corners without injury. All the parts of each balf-couplin g are duplicates of the corresponding parts of the other; but in order that the workman, in putting the parts together, may be prevented from putting them together wrongthat is, so that the incline 0 shall slope the wrong way[ insert apin, 11,01- other equivalent guide in some part of the shell and cut-a slot, i, in the valve-box in such position that when the slot is slipped down the end of the pin the valve-box shall be in the right posit-ion, and the pin projects so far as to prevent the valve-box from being inserted otherwise; and, in order that the studs 6 0 may also be inserted in the proper position, and not otherwise, I put a pin, 0, Fig. 1, in the side of the stem d and provide a slot or recess, 0, Figs. 1 and 4., in the adjacent wall of the eye for it to work in, these parts being arranged so that the valve, with its stems and studs, can be inserted only in the proper position for the purposes set forth.

While I have described my improvements in their application to a lap or clutch coupling, I do not limit myself thereto, since they may be applied by the skilled mechanic in butt-couplings, which unite or are capable of being united by a rotary or partially rotary motion ot'one half-coupling on the other; also, in like manner, they may be incorporated into the structure of male and female couplings, where the part couplings are united by a partial rotation of one as related to the other, though in both butt and in male and female couplings the openings 1) may be omitted, provided room enough he left around the edges of the valves 1) for the required flow of air from or to the air-chain ber, air-supply, or thimhie-connection above or back of the valve.

As it is not desirable that the couplings and hose at the rear end of the train or at the end of a disconnected car should hang down, I provide at each end of each car a couplingholder or dummy. (Shown in Fig. 8.) This device is suspended under the car-platform by a short chain, h, attached to the shank end 11/ of the holder. It :is made with a comparatively long prong,p, on the inside face of which is a cup-shaped socket, q, of suitable size for the coupling-studs c c to be seated neatly therein, and the longer and shorter prongs p p are so proportioned in length that when the studs are thus seated the hook at of the half coupling may come inside the end of the shorter prong, and the other book, 12 may come outside the longer prong. The ends of the prongs maybe headed in like manner as the couplinghooks, if so preferred, though I deem it unnecessary. The half-coupling and holder are to be united by like rotation as two halfcouplings, and the usual stop-post may be added on the holder, and for the same purpose as in the coupling. On the back of the holder I make three studs or pins, 0 such in form and arrangement that the brakeman n1ay,when he has to shifta valve, D, by hand, either to or from its seat, employ it as a wrench to interlock with the studs e e, and thereby do the work desired.

1 claim herein as my invention 1. In a pair of couplings adapted to be united by a rotary motion, a pair of valves having each one or more projecting studs adapted to interlock with each other, and permitting the two half-couplings to come with their seatingfaces together in advance of the unseating of the valves, substantially as set forth, whereby the valves will be unseated as and only as the half-couplings arerotated on each other to their normal interlocked positions.

2. A half or part coupling and a valve therein, made with projecting studs and intermediate spaces, substantially as set forth, whereby such valve may be interlocked with another like valve without being forced from its seat in advance of the interlocking engage ment of the couplings.

3. In combination with a pair of couplings capable of receiving a partial rotation in the act or operation of coupling and uncoupling a pair of valves therein, having each an arrangement of interlocking studs or projections, substantially as set forth, whereby the valves will be shifted from their seats after the meeting faces of the couplings arejoined, and will be brought back to their seats by a reverse rotary motion before the couplings are separated.

4. In combination with each half of a pair of couplings capable of being pulled apart without the rotation of one on the other, and as a means for securing the valve thereof in an open position, a raised seat, 0', pin d and yielding cap-piece D, having a swell, 8 substantially as set forth.

5. A valve, D, having an arrangement of studs on one end or face for interlocking with like studs on another valve, a stem having a- 

